Macy’s – Memorial Day Flag | Chicago, Illinois

Starting in the summer of 1916 and continuing through the Roosevelt administration, Chicago’s Marshall Field’s proudly displayed a 900 lb American flag in their store. In 1941, the original flag was retired, and a new model unveiled – but after several years the replica flag disappeared, and the tradition was lost.

In 2003, Field’s decided to resurrect this flag display in time for Memorial Day remembrances and commissioned local design and fabrication house Kinc, Inc. to deliver a 50 x 100 foot flag for the store’s main atrium.

Chicago Flyhouse was called in to rig a truss to support the massive flag. Carefully attached to the truss at ground level, the flag was slowly raised to the ceiling, where it hung seven stories high, filling the atrium.

In 2009, new owners Macy’s asked Flyhouse to design a new truss in a rippled shape, mimicking the flutter of a flag in the breeze. The curved truss adds dynamics to the piece, making a powerful and unforgettable visual image for Macy’s patrons.